Hayes Road Forest

Ranch Description

Hayes Road Forest is a secluded mountainside parcel offering large easterly views, a central building site and a convenient location between Vermont's best ski resorts and job markets. The property is in the central Vermont of Duxbury, a small village adjacent to the more significant town of Waterbury. Waterbury lies at the junction of Interstate 89 and State Route 100, providing easy access to Stowe. Waitsfield and Sugarbush, Burlington and Montpelier. The forest is just 5 miles from Interstate 89 in Waterbury, from which point it is a 3-hour trip to Boston or 6 hours to New York City.

Hayes Road Forest offers a private spot for a seasonal or year-round, off-grid home with sweeping valley and mountain views. The property rests on the upper slopes of Crossett Hill, a large north-south ridge just east of Camel's Hump. The property was a hill farm over a century ago and many features of that era, such as stone walls and apple trees, remain. Overall, the property is a gentle slope, once the climb from Hayes Road trail is achieved. In the far northern section, there is another valley carved by a mountain stream.

In 2004, an area near the center of the property was cleared for a possible house site and to show the sweeping views. This area now hosts saplings and small trees, but could be re-cleared for establishing a building site and enjoying the views. Just past the building site, the old farm road intersects with a maintained snowmobile trail that makes an arc through the property. This easily-hiked trail provides access to much of the forest. Above the regenerating area, the forest is a mix of red maple, white birch and red spruce, among other species. The forest regenerated from abandoned pasture and is calculated to be about 80 years old, on average. With the large, private holdings of forestland on Crossett Ridge and the state land associated with Camel's Hump to the west, game are likely to be quite active in this region.